Stolen Cash Jeopardizes Fun Outing for 134 Kids

March 17 should have been a happy day for Cindy Munos. She and her husband celebrated their second anniversary with Mexican food, a movie and drinks in a sports bar. But the night soon took a nasty turn.

Someone broke into Munos’ 1992 Ford Escort and stole $918. The money was meant to fund a field trip for 134 low-income or disabled Head Start preschoolers in Stanton. The cash was in the car because Munos hadn’t yet set up a bank account.

“I was bawling,” said Munos, a Head Start volunteer. She helped raise the funds with several parents over the past 1 1/2 months by holding raffles and garage sales.

The field trip was to have been an end-of-the-year treat to an amusement park, Adventure City. Margie Lopez, Head Start’s child-development director, called the loss a shame.

“It’s disappointing,” Lopez said. “She’s put in so much of her own personal time.”

Munos is trying to raise the funds again before the last day of school, June 8. She’s seeking donations for another garage sale, and plans for a raffle are in the works.

The theft has made a stressful situation worse. Munos’ young son has leukemia and was recently diagnosed with hemophilia too. Then there is the guilt about the money. “It’s overwhelming,” Munos said.

Judy Silber can be reached at (714) 966-5988.